Phrase penned by Mark TwainMark Twain as satire for the way America had become. It revealed the

“best and worst” of America. The Gilded Age suggests that

there was a glittering layer of prosperity that covered the poverty and corruption that existed in much of society.

•Time of corruption, scandals in local, state and national government.

•President Grant’s scandals

•Election of 1876

•William Boss Tweed

•President Garfield’s assassination

                                                                                 

Two Different Worlds 1

The wealthy lived extravagant lifestylesextravagant lifestyles and considered themselves elitists.

The common people resented their snobbish attitudes and wealth. There was a caste systemcaste system in

the U.S.

1861---------3 millionaires----------1900--------3,800 1900, 90% of wealth, controlled by 10% of

population.

Political MachinePolitical Machine• Organized group that

controls a city’s political party

• Give services to voters, businesses for political, financial support

• After Civil War, machines gain control of major cities

• Machine organization: precinct captains, ward bosses, city boss

The Emergence of The Emergence of Political MachinesPolitical Machines

The Role of the Political Boss•May serve as mayor he:

•controls city jobs, business licenses•influences courts, municipal agencies•arranges building projects, community services

•Bosses paid by businesses, get voters’ loyalty, extend influence

Immigrants and the Machine•Many captains, bosses 1st or 2nd generation Americans•Machines help immigrants with naturalization, jobs, housing

Election Fraud and Graft•Machines use electoral fraud to win elections•GraftGraft—illegal use of political influence for personal gain•Machines take kickbacks, bribes to allow legal, illegal activities

•Corrupt political leader put New York City in debt

Political bossPolitical boss

•1851 elected to city council

•1852 served in Congress

•Kept Democratic Party in power in NYC called Tammany Hall

•Formed the Tweed Ring

•Bought votes, encouraged corruption, controlled NYC politics

Received large fees for interests

(*kickbackskickbacks) from the Erie Railroad

Tweed Ring milked the city with false

leases, padded bills, false vouchers,

unnecessary repairs and over-priced goods

*Return of a portion of the money received in a sale or contract often illegal and corrupt in return for

special favors.

Thomas Nast was the artist for Harper's Weekly

in the late 1800’s. "He has been called, the

Father of American Caricature."

Nast's campaign against New York City's political

boss William Tweed is legendary

Nast's cartoons depicted Tweed as a sleazy criminalTweed was known to say,

"Stop them damn pictures. I don't care what the papers write

about me. My constituents can't read. But, damn it, they can

see the pictures."

Exposed for his corruption by cartoonist and

editor, Thomas Nast

Tweed Ring fell and 1873 Tweed

convicted of embezzlement

Later Tweed was arrested on a civil

charge and jailed in NYC, later died

there

Under the Spoils System (patronagepatronage), candidates for political office would offer potential jobs in exchange for votes.– gave supporters access to money and political favors.

During the Gilded Age, the Republicans and Democrats had roughly the same number of supporters. – To keep party members loyal, candidates rewarded

supporters and tried to avoid controversial issues.

The Republicans appealed to the

industrialists, bankers, and eastern farmers.

They favored the gold standard (sound moneysound money)

and high tariffsBlue laws, regulations that prohibited certain

activities people considered immoral.

The Democratsattracted the less privileged groups.

such as northern urban immigrants, laborers, southern planters, and

western farmers.Supported soft money

and silver coinage.

Credit MobilierCredit Mobilier•Phony construction company

owned by stockholders of Union Pacific Railroad.

•Hired Credit Mobilier to build the transcontinental railroad

•Charged the U.S. government nearly twice the actual cost of the project.

•Bribed Congress to stop the investigation. •Largest scandal in U.S. history, and led to

greater public awareness of government corruption.

Whiskey RingWhiskey Ring•A group of President Grant’s officials

imported whiskey

•Used their offices to avoid paying taxes

•Cheated US treasury of millions.Salary GrabSalary Grab

•Congress gave itself a raise, $5,000 to $7,500 annually.

•Congressmen received a retroactive check for $5,000, plus their raise……

•Became a political issue….Later repealed.

President President Rutherford HayesRutherford Hayes

Elected in 1877 Reformed the civil service,

appointing qualified political independents

instead of giving positions to supporters.

No Congressional support or from the Republican

Party. Hayes did not seek a

second term.

President James A. President James A. GarfieldGarfield

1880 election, Republicans were split into 3 factions.

Stalwarts defended the spoils system—Senator Roscoe Conkling

Half-Breeds reform but still supported it– Senator James Blaine

Independents opposed the spoils system.

Garfield wanted reforms. His running-mate was Chester

Arthur, a Stalwart. July 2, 1881 Garfield was assassinated by a Stalwart who

wanted Arthur as president.

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

1880 1880 Presidential Presidential

ElectionElection

1881: Garfield Assassinated!1881: Garfield Assassinated!1881: Garfield Assassinated!1881: Garfield Assassinated!

Charles Guiteau:I Am a Stalwart, and Arthur is President now!

•Assassinated by an upset

Spoilsman.

•Led to VP Chester Arthur

becoming president

•Supported a change to the corrupt spoils

system.

•Signed into the law the Pendleton ActPendleton Act also called the the Civil Service ActCivil Service Act.

•Required candidates applying for government positions to a test to determine their qualifications.

Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)Pendleton Act (1883)

Aka Civil Service Act

1883 ---> 14,000 out of 117,000 federal government jobs became civil service exam positions

1900 ---> 100,000 out of 200,000 civil service federal government jobs

Arthur Reforms the Civil Service After the assassination, President Arthur was able to

get congressional support for the Pendleton Civil Service Act. which created a commission of

classified government jobs